In sickness and in health

So today was pretty miserable due to my headache, extremely runny nose, and Korea's general lack of Kleenex. For some reason, I've found most people and places consider napkins or toilet paper to double as a nose-blowing receptacle. It's convenient, but a little rough on the nose.

The kids seemed to pick up on my low energy and were fairly calm; I didn't have too much prep work to do, either, so I was thankful for that. I did find myself feeling bitter about the responsibility and obligations that come with being a grown-up, instead wishing I could go home early or take a nap under a table somewhere at the very least. This full-time job thing takes some getting used to...

Luckily, another teacher recommended a pharmacy to me and even escorted me there after work. Pharmacies are really common here (I've counted five within a two-minute walking radius of my home) and are like American drug stores without the cards, food, and office supplies. They have everything from specialized medicine to bug bite cream to vitamin C-laced drinks.

Anyway, at the pharmacy, I butchered some Korean phrases while pointing to where it hurt, and the pharmacist fired away: "Common cold? Nose? Head? Throat?" She came back with a box and I mimed, "Will this make me sleep?" She flitted away again and came back with a combo pack of day and night medicine (it's color-coded and everything). A week's worth of day and night pills was less than $6. Also, I should note at this point that I just took one of the nighttime bad boys so if this gets weird, my apologies.

Another strange medicine-related thing I've noticed: it is quite common and unremarkable for Koreans to visit the hospital. Your foot hurts? Go to the hospital. You coughed once? Go to the hospital. Fever? Hospital. In fact, when I was here in 2011, a friend of mine went to the hospital for a fever and came back with an IV bag she carried around the rest of the night. The other teachers urged me to go to the hospital today, but we'll see if I can fight this with some hot soup and quality (read: drug-induced) sleep first. Not that I'm afraid to get a shot in the butt, but I'd like to avoid it if at all possible.

I have to get better quickly though because this weekend my friend and I are supposed to tour the DMZ, and there's Halloween fun to be had in Seoul! I hope you are all staying healthy as the weather changes!